2024 Welsh Conservatives leadership election explained

Election Name:2024 Welsh Conservatives leadership election
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2021 Welsh Conservatives leadership election
Previous Year:2021
Next Election:September 2015 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill
Election Date:3 December 2024
Candidate1:Darren Millar
Popular Vote1:TBD
Percentage1:TBD
Leader
Before Election:Andrew RT Davies
After Election:TBC

The 2024 Welsh Conservatives leadership election was triggered by the resignation of Andrew RT Davies on 3 December 2024.[1] [2] So far, only one candidate, Darren Millar, has stepped forward. If no other candidate is nominated by 17:00 GMT on 5 December, then he will be elected unopposed as the new leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the Senedd.[3] [4]

A confidence motion had been held seeking the removal Davies at a meeting of the Conservative Senedd group on 3 December 2024. Although Davies won the motion with 9 votes to 7, he proceeded resign as leader in the hours following the vote.

Background

On 28 November 2024, a group of shadow cabinet ministers approached Davies threatening to resign if he did not vacate his position as Conservative Senedd group leader.[5] [6]

A confidence vote was held at party's weekly group meeting on the following Tuesday, 3 December 2024.

Confidence vote

Despite initial reports that a secret ballot would be held, Nation.Cymru reported that a recorded vote by show of hands was instead conducted.[7] [8]

The confidence motion was narrowly passed, 56.2% to 43.8%.

Supporters
Confidence (9)No Confidence (7)
Andrew RT DaviesNatasha Asghar
Gareth DaviesJames Evans
Paul DaviesPeter Fox
Russell GeorgeTom Giffard
Mark IsherwoodAltaf Hussain
Laura Anne JonesSam Kurtz
Joel JamesSam Rowlands
Darren Millar
Janet Finch-Saunders

Aftermath

Following the vote, several members of Davies' shadow cabinet threatened to resign their positions.

Thus, despite a narrow majority of the Senedd group backing his continued leadership, Davies published his resignation statement on Twitter shortly before noon on 3 December 2024.[9] [10]

See also

References

  1. News: Mosalski . Ruth . Gosley . Ellie . 3 December 2024 . Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies quits despite narrowly surviving no-confidence vote . 5 December 2024 . WalesOnline.
  2. News: Mosalski . Ruth . 4 December 2024 . The runners and riders to replace Andrew RT Davies as the Welsh Conservative Senedd leader . 5 December 2024 . WalesOnline.
  3. News: Deans . David . Browne . Adrian . 4 December 2024 . Darren Millar on course to lead Welsh Tories . 5 November 2024 . BBC News.
  4. News: 4 December 2024 . Tory MSs rally around leadership favourite Darren Millar . 5 December 2024 . Nation.Cymru.
  5. News: Price . Emily . 2024-11-28 . Andrew RT Davies asked to step down as leader of the Welsh Conservatives by MSs . 2024-11-28 . Nation.Cymru.
  6. News: Lewis . Gareth . Deans . David . 2024-11-28 . Tories to vote on Welsh leader's future . 2024-11-28 . BBC News.
  7. Web site: Price . Emily . 2024-12-03 . Andrew RT Davies resigns as leader of the Welsh Conservative Senedd group . 2024-12-03 . Nation.Cymru.
  8. News: Deans . David . 2024-12-03 . Welsh Tories: Andrew RT Davies survives leadership vote . 2024-12-03 . BBC News . en-GB.
  9. 1863914282741530638 . AndrewRTDavies . With deep regret, I have today resigned as Leader of the Welsh Conservative Senedd Group. Read my letter below. . Andrew . RT Davies . 2024-12-03.
  10. News: Molaski . Ruth . 2024-12-03 . Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies narrowly survives no-confidence vote . 2024-12-03 . Wales Online.